TNAG-0876-FCO40-1086-Development-of-social-welfare-policy-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 31

CONFIDENTIAL

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5.12

reach of ection 15(1) of the imployment Ordinance,

dealing with the probibition of termination of employment of a

feniale employes in connection with maternity, should be made a

prosecutable oftence. he rlinance should also be amended so

that for the fir t two surviving children a female employee would

be entitled to full naternity benefits for the hole of her maternity

period if she is dismissed before the expiry of her maternity leave. The existing penalty for breach of 'ection 15(1) should apply in the case of subservent curviving children only (paragraph 3.13).

5.13

days off for

The Employment Ordinance should be amended to permit

edical checkups in connection with maternity to he regarded as sick leave, thus attracting a sickness allowance at 2/3 wages up to a maximum accumulation of 36-days (paragraphı 3.14).

;

5.14

Is the orking roup's recommendations for the private sector are implented, the Government will have to consider making

improvements to te vivil Service naternity leave arrangements (paragraph 2.16).

Financial and economic implications

5.15

:

e tot-l cost that would have been incurred by employers

in 1978 in respect of the proposals for naternity pay entitlement

recommended by the orking Croup, for orking women earning not more than $3,500 par month, is a ticated at about $47 million or 0.19:

of the annual va bill of all cployees. Clearly so e of this has

already been incurred y certain employers but there is insufficient

information to assess accurately the a'ditional cost involved. effect also varies with industry sectors (paragraph 4.2).

5.16

The

he additional cost to the Government of inplenenting

the possible chan es for the Civil Service is estimated at about $5.4 million per year at 1979 prices or 0.17% of total i ersonal

-moluments sti ate for 1979-80 (paragraph 4.3).

5.17

dditional st for the Labour eṛartneat, estimated at a cost of about $1.4 million per year at 1970 prices, would be

CONFIDENTIAL

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